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By many older Houghtonians’ own admissions, Houghton got off lightly from the German’s bombing raids during the Second World War, particularly when compared with what neighbouring Sunderland suffered. After the War Sir Arthur Lambert, Regional Commissioner for the North, reported that in the Houghton Urban District, none were killed, two were hospitalised and 3 were slightly injured – very low numbers compared to those of the coastal towns of Tynemouth, Jarrow, South Shields, Sunderland and Seaham. Copyright © Books of the North 2009

Nevertheless, many have relayed tales of how frightening the blackout and air raid sirens were, and we can only imagine what it was like to live with an indefinite future. However, there were several incidents in the Houghton-le-Spring district, and details of some are featured here:

:: Between the late hours of Saturday July 20th and early hours of Sunday July 21st 1940, four high explosive bombs were ditched on a cornfield at Greenshield’s Farm near Houghton Cut/East Herrington, following a failed bombing attempt at Sunderland. No injuries were reported. Copyright © Books of the North 2009

:: In 1941, a Hawker Hurricane fighter tried to make an emergency landing on Houghton Golf Course. The pilot, Sergeant Frank Stamp, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, sadly lost his life when the plane crash-landed. Copyright © Books of the North 2009

:: On Saturday April 26th 1941, a lone Luftwaffe (out of the 120 which were across the UK that night) carried out an erratic bombing raid across many northeast villages. Hundreds of incendiary bombs were scattered across Northumberland and County Durham by a German pilot what was described as being “singularly incompetent”. The pilot’s last attack consisted of two bombs dropping on grass near Newbottle. At twenty-five minutes past midnight, the plane was reported as having cleared the coast.

:: A camouflet, a cavern caused by an explosion, was found in a potato patch at Sedgeletch Sewerage Beds on the morning of Saturday August 29th 1942, caused by a bomb that had been dropped during the night. High explosive bombs were also dropped on nearby Fencehouses during the same raid. Copyright © Books of the North 2009

:: An anti-aircraft shell, which was dropped on the night of Thursday March 11th and Friday March 12th 1943, exploded in Waller Terrace, in the Hall Lane area of Houghton le Spring. A man and a woman were seriously injured.

:: During the same bombing raid, hundreds of Incendiary Bombs were dropped in the Silksworth area, causing damage and chaos. A rogue firepot incendiary bomb, which would have been bright green or red, made its way to Houghton and exploded on the Seaham Road, causing a blockage near to the Warden Law crossroads. The only injury caused was to a National Fire Service fireman who drove into the damaged road. Copyright © Books of the North 2009

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Many of these dates and details of incidents in this short article were found at: www.ne-diary.bpears.org.uk This website is highly recommended to anyone interested in the Wartime events of northeast England.
Photograph of Waller Terrace from Harry Smith.

 

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PAGE UPDATED: 27/08/2011

sergeant frank stamp and houghton-le-spring 1941 Hurrican fighter plan crashed in Houghton-le-Spring.
A tank parked outside of Robinson's Brewery on Durham Road, Houghton-le-Spring, during the First World War.
Frederick Denby of Houghton, joined the Durham Light Infantry, was a prisoner of war for four years and returned home at Christmas 1918.
Soldiers marched along Church Street, Houghton-le-Spring, 1940.
Bombing raids in World War 2 in Houghton-le-Spring, included four high explosive bombs being dropped onto Houghton Cut in July 1940, and an incendiary bomb being dropped between Houghton and Seaham in March 1943.
Houghton-le-Spring's adopted warship is HMS Welland, which was adopted during Warship Week in December 1941.
George Fenton of Houghton served with 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, and was a Prisoner of War in Stalag 8B.
During the Second World War, in 1941,a Hurricane fighter tried to make an emergency landing on Houghon Golf Course. The pilot Sergeant Frank Stamp of the Royal Canadian Air Force sadly lost his life.
Captain William Brown, a Territorial Officer, was a solicitor in the Sunderland Street firm of Legge & Miller.